Suning Appliance, a major electric and white goods retailer in China, said yesterday it will open 200-odd stores and set up five more logistics bases nationwide next year.

The aggressive expansion move amid an economic downturn and dwindling domestic demand, is seen as part of Suning's efforts to erode the dominance of its troubled arch-rival Gome Electrical Appliances Holding Ltd, whose Founder and Chairman Huang Guangyu is now under a probe into alleged trading irregularities in the stock market.

In a statement, Suning said it will enter into 70 more Chinese cities to expand the number of its stores and employ 36,000 people next year. The company will also build five new logistics centers in Beijing, Shenyang, Chengdu, Xuzhou and Nanjing.